US August Job Gains Fall Far Short of Expectations

WASHINGTON - U.S. employers added only 235,000 jobs in August, the Labor Department reported Friday, a sign the pace of hiring has slowed considerably at a time when the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus has dampened business activity.

“There’s no question the delta variant is why today’s jobs report isn’t stronger. I know people were looking and I was hoping for a higher number,” Biden told reporters at the White House. He said he would disclose next week the “next steps” needed to “combat the delta variant.”  The report fell far short of economists' expectations of about 750,000 new jobs last month. Last month’s 235,000 new jobs were also far fewer than the 943,000 jobs added in July and the 938,000 new hires in June. The August unemployment rate declined to 5.2% from 5.4% the month before. The 5.2% rate is still higher than before the pandemic started.